Ironing machine



March 19, 1929. R. HOE

' IRONING MACHI-NE original Filed Aug. 27. 1921 2 sheets-sneer March 19, 1929.

R.` HOE :11011111911110111111:

pagina Fned 1112.97. 1921 2 shuts-sheet /NVENTOR v ,4 wom/5f l mechanism.

Patented Mar. 19, 1929.I

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. l

ROBERT HOE, OF HYDE PARK-ON-HUDSON, NEW YORK.

yristourne MACHINE.

Application led August 27,' 1921, Serial'No. 496,045. Renewed August 25, 1927.

This invention relates to ironing machines, and more particularly to machines of the type having a polished rotating cylinder and oppositely rotatingcovered feed rolls reslliently held in contact therewith. I-Iitherto no simple and eective means have been provided for separating the feed rolls from the cylinder without isengaging the drlvmg According to this invention the feed rolls and the cylinder have a common drive through a single train of gears, with means for separating the feed rolls simultaneouslyfrom the cylinder without disengaging any of said gears. The mechanism whereby such separation is effected ma be actuated by a simplepedal movement o the attendant from any point along the length of the machine. .The return of the feed rolls is likewise4 effected, and without disengaging any portion of the driving mechanism. Such machines are preferably belt dr1ven by individual electric motors attached to the machine frame; and I have devised a novel means for maintaining proper belt tension.

In carrying out the above mentioned features of the invention, I have kproduced a machine consisting of a relatively small number of parts, inthe manufacture of which "the necessary 'machining operations are reduced to a minimum, which is easy to assemble, simple to operate and of rugged construction of niaintenance, durability and effective service. With these and other objects in view, I have devised the apparatus embodying my invention, as described in the following spec'- iication and illustrated in the accompanying` drawings, wherein Figure 1 is aside elevatlon, and v Figure 2 is an end elevatlon.

Referring to the drawing, 1 represents the frame of the machine, comprising a pa1r of end frame members 2 and 3 joined together by longitudinal bracing 4 and carrying upper bearing members 5 and 6 respectively.

Each of frame members 2 and 3 has a horizontal transverse flange7. at its'top, while each of members 5 and 6 has a corresponding flange 8 at its bottom, the respective members being bolted to ether through flanges 7 and 8. -A pair of iorizontal mutually aligned bearings 9 and 10 are provided between members 2 and 5 and between vmembers 3 and 6 respectively, flanges 7 and 8 being centrally interrupted and extendmg on either s1de as insuring economy of manufacture and in the case of ordinary split bearings. Ro-

tatably mounted in bearings 9 and 10 is main ,shaft :11, to which between said bearings is keyed or otherwise securely fixed main cylinder 12 having its outer surface polished.

In each ofbear'ing, members 5 and 6 are three radial guideways 13, 14' and'15, each ways 13, 14 and 15 is a pair of. bearingA blocks 16, 17 and 18 respectively, having bearings 19, 20 and 21 respectively. Each bearing block is normally held at the inner end-of its respective guideway by a spring 22, the tension of which is regulated by an adjusting screw 23 carried in a threaded member 24, the latter members being secured to upper bearing members 5 and 6 over the outer ends of guideways 13, 14 and 15 respectively. Rotatably mounted in each pair of bearings 19, 20 and'21 respectively, are longitudinal shafts 25 26 and 27, and keyed or otherwise securely fixed to said res ective shafts between the respective pairs o bearings are f elt or fabric covered feed rolls 28, i

29 and 30. Guideways 13, 14 and 15 extend Horizontal eed table 31 is supported on upper bearing members 5 and 6 by brackets 32 and 33 integral with or secured to the `respective bearing members 5 and 6, and isl dlsposed upon one side of the machine at such a level as to feed the goods between cylinder 12 and the first roll 28. A longitudinal shaft 34 below the upper surface of table 31 is carried in aligned bearings 35 and 36 formed in brackets 32 and 33 respectively; and moistening roller 37 is keyed or otherwise securelyxed 'to 'shaft 34 between bearings 35 and 36. The periphery of roller 37 is almost tangent to, and extends slightly above the upper surface of table 31, the

table being cut away as at '38 to accommodate roller 37. A trough 39, supported at either end by brackets 32 and 33l respectively, is disposed beneath moisteningroller..

37, the latter. dipping into the vwater contained in trough 39. Resting upon and parallel to moistening roller 37 is roller 40,

keyedor otherwise securely fixed to longif -een 72.

tudinal shaft 41 between bearings 42 and 43 for the latter, said bearingsabeing carried by brackets 32 and 33 respectively. PBe'arings 42 and 43 are preferably `open at the top to facilitate removal of shaft 41 and roller40, and are sufficiently deep to permit roller 40 to bear on moistening roller 37, being intended to take only longitudinal and lateral thrust.

The machine is driven from a pulley 44 keyed upon or otherwise securely fixed to a transverse shaft 45 carried` in a pair of aligned bearings 46 bracketed as at 47 to end frame member 3. Between bearings 46 shaft 45 carries a worm 48, either integrally or securely fixed thereto; and mounted upon stub shaft 49 carried in bearing 50 o n end frame member 3, and meshing with worm 48, is worm wheel 51. Spur tooth pinion 52, also mounted on shaft 49 is rigidly fixed to and is driven by worm wheel 51.y Keyed to 0r otherwise securely fixed upon main shaft 11, and meshing with and driven by pinion 52, is gear-wheel 53. In the plane of gear wheel 53, and keyed upon or otherwise securely fixed to each of shafts 25,k 26 and 27l respectively, are gear wheels 54, and 56. Between gears 54 and 55, and meshing ywith both, is gear wheeel 57, mounted on stub shaft 58 carried in bearing 59 in upper bearing member 6. .Likewise between gears 55 and 56 and meshing with both, is gear wheel 60 mounted on stub shaft 61 carried in bearing 62 in upper bearing 'member 6. Gear wheel 57 is centered close to and slightly outside of the line joining the centers of gears 54l and 55 when the rolls driven by said vrespective gears are in innermost position; that is, in Contact with .main cylinder 12. Gear wheel 60 is similarly centered with respect to gears 55 and 56. `Meshing with both of gears53 and 57, and driving the latter from the former,

, is gear wheel 63, mounted on stub shaft 64 carried in bearing' 65 on end frame member 3. Moistening roller 37 is driven by gear wheel 66 keyed or otherwise rigidly secured to shaftv 34 and meshin driven by gear wheel 67, the 7a mounted on, stub shaft 68 carried in bearing 69 on bracket' 33 and meshing with and driven by ear wheel 53. Keyed upon o-r otherwise rlgidly secured to shafts 34 and 41 respectively are pulleys 70 and 71, the latter being drive from the former by a with and Power is supplied by a motor 73, to the rotor -74 of which is directly connected pulley 75. Belt 7 6 runs between pulleys 75 and 44, and drives the latter from. the former. Pulleys 75 and 44 are stepped, and an ordinary belt shifter 77, sliding in guides 78 secured toend frame 3, and actuated by control lever 79 pivoted at 80 to end frame 3, regu-4 lates the speed. Motor 73 is-hinged or'pivtter being otally mountedfzo'n` pinu81 in brackets v:82, the latter being secured to end frame 3. A pair of bored lugs 83 secured tothe base of motor 73 aEord a bearing?A for' the motor 85 are bracketed to motor 73 and are provided with adjusting screws 86 and 87 respectively, which by contacting with plate 88 on end frame 3 limit the rotationof motor 73 about pin 81 and prevent the motor from falling in caseof breakage of belt 76. The latter is chosen of such length as to maintain the motor in substantially horizontal position, while screwsf86 and 87 are adjusted to permit only a slight freedom of movement of motor 73 from its belt supl ported position. v

For lifting rolls 28, 29 and 30, camrollers 89, 90 and 91 are respectively mounted on bearing blocks 16, 17 and 18.' Cams 92 pivotally mounted as at 93 on end frames 2 and 3, respectively, eachvhave cam surfaces 94, 95 and 96 adapted respectively to engage l rollers 89, 9 0 and 91 when cams 92 are rotated in the proper direction about/pivots 93,

.thus forcing bearing blocks 16, 17 and 18 to move outwardly'in guideways 13, 14 and 15, respectively, and raising rolls 28, 29 and 30 out Tof contact with main cylinder 12. As cams 92fare returned to normal position, rolls 28,'A 29 and 30l move inwardly until they bear on main cylinder 12, whereupon f cam surfaces 94, 95 and 96 will disengage rollers 89,90 and 91 respectively. CamsI 92 are each actuated by a rod 97, pivoted thereto at`98. It will be noted that the' feed roll lifting mechanism here describedv is in duplicate, similar parts'being provided at either 'end of the machine, and the lifting stress is carried by the frame independently of the main roll bearings.`

The operation of cams 92 may be` effected at any point in the length of .the machine by means of an elongated pedal- 99disposed on 1 the feed side of the machine beneath table 31 and secured at either end to leversv 100 and 101 respectively, the latter being pivotedl at their opposite-ends 102 and 103 respectively to cross bracing 4, and intermediately pivoted. to the' lower` ends of cam actuating rods 97 as at 104 and 105 respectively.

Compression springs 106 around rods 97 and maintained between collars 107 on the respective shafts and brackets 108 yon frame l, resiliently hold cams 92 in disengaged pushing it to the right'in Figure 2, lifting position, that is, so that feed fous 28, 29 and 30 Contact with main cylinder 12. Pedal'I 99 which in -turn would cause oppositeA rotation is thus normally held in raised position.

The pedal 99 is pivoted `at each -end at l115 to tripping bar 116. 117 is a latch lever having a weight 11S and pivoted at 119 on the frame, latch levery 117 passing between lugs 120, 121, on lever 100. When lever 100 is pushed down by pedal 99, the end ,of the' lever 117 engages in notch 122 o'f lug 120 to hold lever 100 down and the rolls lifted. It is tripped by the bar 116,-actuated by the operators foot striking lever 117 and Weight 118 and allowing springs 106 to lift levers 100.' As'will be seen, trip bar 116 slides up and down on the smooth back of lever 117. y

Main cylinder 12 is internally heated by a plurality of jets 123 -in'burner tube 124,

which is supported by bracket 125and is connected to a supply of gas and air. Shaft 11 is hollow to accommodate tube 124, and

is discontinuous between the ends of cylinderv 12 to which it is fiXed.`

The operation of the device will be appar ent from the foregoing description. It shouldbe noted vthat gear 57 is so centered with respect to gears 54 and 55 that the relative motion between gear' 57 and gears 54 and 55, when the llatter are moved with their respective rolls to engageor d isengage` the work, is substantially tan ential. l-This fact, taken in view of norma toothclearance, makes it clear that jamming of the teeth will be avoided. Likewise gear 6 0 is similarly centered with respect to gears 55 and 56. This arrangement permits gearsy 5,4, 55 and 56 to move in or out with respgect t'o gears 57l and 60 for thedistance necessary to engage ,orv disengage the workbetween the cylinder and the feed rolls without disengaging. 'In such movement, supposing the" machinetobe at rest, gear 55 would'be sta xtio1`1ary, and would cause rotation in op`- posite directions, by reason of its translatory movement, of adjacent gears 57 and 60,

attendants.

A furtherl advantage of this machine shown in Figure 1 is that the ends of the ironing roll are undercut as shown so that the-covering on the pressure rollsl can wear 'down without causing the flan es of the rolls to contact and interfere with t .e pressure.

What I claim is: An ironing machine comprising a cylinder, afeed roll parallel thereto, a pair of feed rolls parallel to and disposed on opposite sides of said first feed roll, movable bearving means for saidl feed rolls,a guide for each of said bearing means permltting the latter together with the yroll supported there# by to move toward and away from said cylinder, means normally holding each. of -.said

rolls in contact with said cylinder, bearing means for said-cylinder, a driving gear secured toeach roll, a driving 'gear secured .to saidcylinder, intermediate gears connecting up all of said driving gears, means for driving the chain of .gears thus constituted, and means for moving said rfeed rollsl out of contact with said cylinder-'to disengage the work without'moving the inter-mediate 'gearsfor disengaging or jamming' said driving'means or any of the gears of said chain.

Signed -at New 'Yorkin the county of New York'and State of New York this 26th d ay of August, AVD., 1921. v f

. f v ROBERT HOE. 

